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Congratulations to our PVD Lobsters Gold and Blue squads for their amazing showing at Gay Bowl 2023 in Seattle!
Not only did both teams advance further than any PVD team had ever gone at Gay Bowl, they each also represented the very best of our league’s values and talent, and demonstrated on a national stage just what makes PVDGFFL so special.
The teams that we face at these tournaments are the best of the best from across the U.S. and Canada, but this tournament was tougher than ever. More than 1,400 players competed on 84 teams, from 30 different leagues, which made this the largest Gay Bowl in history. This means the road to winning was the toughest in Gay Bowl history. A whopping 56 teams competed in the open division!
This was the third ever Gay Bowl appearance for our open division teams and their performances represent tremendous growth and development for our league and our tournament program. A little history of our two open division teams to help contextualize this year’s performance:
2019 (NYC):
PVD is testing the waters and learning what tournament play is all about. Our first-ever Gay Bowl squads each won one game in pool play and lost in the first game of bracket play. A great learning experience.
- Combined team records (not counting consolation game): 2-6
2020: No tournament (COVID-19)
2021 (Phoenix):
Our teams now have a better sense of what tournament play is like and come in ready to make some moves. Both teams end up playing “up” a division in bracket play, so they faced much tougher teams. Strong progress, especially in pool play.
- Combined team records (no consolation game): 2-6
2022: (Hawaii):
Did not send open division teams
- PVD sends our first Women’s+ team to Gay Bowl and they go 3-1!
2023 (Seattle):
- Our Gold Lobsters are the first PVD team to play in a higher division, demonstrating our confidence and ability to compete against tougher competition. Gold goes 3-0 in pool play, earns a first-round bye, the #1 seed, and advances to the quarterfinals in the B division (second highest division).
- Our Blue Lobsters go 3-0 in pool play and earn the #2 seed in their division. They advance to the Championship game.
- Combined team records (no consolation game): 9-2
Open Division Records and Milestones:
*Each team won more games than any PVD open division team had ever won at Gay Bowl.
*Combined, our two Lobsters teams more than doubled PVD’s open division win total in Gay Bowl play (four wins from 2019-2022 and nine wins this year).
*Each team advanced further than any PVD team had ever gone at Gay Bowl.
*Gold Lobsters earned PVD’s first-ever B division victory.
*Gold Lobsters earned PVD’s first-ever bye.
*Blue Lobsters earned PVD’s first-ever bracket play victory with 26-6 win over South Florida.
*Blue Lobsters advanced further than any team in PVD history.
*Blue Lobsters played in PVD’s first ever Championship game.
Tournament Recap:
Lobsters Gold (3-1)
POOL PLAY
- 34-21 (W) vs Honolulu Riptide
- 18-7 (W) vs Boston Longfellows
- 27-21 (W) vs San Diego Sharks
BRACKET PLAY
- Earned a first round bye
- 32-18 (L) vs Honolulu Riptide
Lobsters Blue (6-1)
POOL PLAY
- 33-0 (W) vs Seattle Sprinklez
- 33-7 (W) vs Denver Summit Green
- 28-14 (W) vs Seattle Legion
BRACKET PLAY
- 26-6 (W) vs South Florida Sharks
- 28-14 (W) vs New York Empire
- 29-26 (W) vs Seattle Sprinklez
- 34-28 (L) vs San Francisco Seals
Thank You’s and Acknowledgments:
- Thank you to all of our players and captains for putting in the work, giving their best, and leaving their hearts, blood, and sweat on the field. You represented our league with honor and passion, and we’re all so very proud of you!
- Thank you to all the significant others and volunteers who made the trek to Seattle and helped organize meals and on-field snacks, live-streamed games, took photos, helped coordinate logistics between games, got LOUD on the sidelines, and showed our players endless love and support. Any league member who's interested in experiencing a tournament is more than welcome to join us in the future! There’s always room for more PVD love in Crustacean Nation!
- Thank you to our PVD family at home for tuning in to the livestreams and sending your love and support. It meant SO much to our players to have our entire league rally behind them! Everyone in Seattle definitely felt the love.
- Thank you to our Board and those who donated/fundraised to help our teams get to Seattle!
Next year, we’ll be ready to rock with our open and women’s+ squads heading to Austin for Gay Bowl 2024!
Stayed tuned for information about tryouts and roster selection for our 2024 tournament rosters. We hope to share those details in the next few weeks.
On behalf of our entire league, congratulations to our Lobsters! We’re so proud of you!
Check out photos on the PVDGFFL Facebook Group
Saturday's Forecast:
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